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JAKE RUNESTAD An Introduction to the Composer, Interview, and Preview of the 2019 Raymond W. Brock Commission, A Silence Haunts Me by Jonathan Talberg Jake Runestad (b. 1986) sat relaxed and com- me, Edie, singers, and audiences who heard it fortable in a red leather, art-deco rocking chair to the core. Through the process of commis- in My living room for the interview I record- sioning and workshopping the piece, Jake and ed on October 6, 2018. A tall, lean man who I became dear friends. In the years since, we wears glasses and a close-cropped beard, he is have had the opportunity to hike in Yosemite, perpetually well dressed—unless he’s camping camp in Joshua Tree National Park, kayak in or enjoying the Myriad of outdoor activities he Minnesota, and take a road trip (with poet and adores. That afternoon, he was wearing skinny Runestad’s frequent collaborator Todd Boss) jeans and a fi tted dark grey t-shirt, sitting cross- through the Catalonian countryside after at- legged and staring out at the sea. He had just tending the IFCM World Symposium on Cho- fi nished Rivers of Air, a symphonic band com- ral Music in Barcelona. I share this background mission for a consortium of seventeen Ameri- because I have some special insight into this can universities; he was defi nitely decompress- year’s Brock commissioned composer: having ing. spent many weeks together, I have been witness We met at the ACDA Regional Conference in to his almost super-human work ethic, his un- Santa Barbara in 2014, but we became friends bounded curiosity, and his deep love of culture, after Edith Copley and I commissioned him to of the human voice, and of his fellow humans. write a piece in memory of Germán Aguilar, a Jake is never without Music, and he is at his best California CCDA Board Member, choral con- when he’s near friends or family. ductor, and My fi ancée, who had passed away suddenly during a summer concert tour in Italy. That work, And So I Go On, completely encap- sulated the grief I had experienced and shook Jonathan Talberg Director of Choral, Vocal and Opera Studies California State University, Long Beach Past President, California Choral Directors Association [email protected] 8 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 59 Number 7 Photo by Travis Anderson JAKE RUNESTAD An Introduction to the Composer, Interview, and He sings constantly. He makes up rhythms and im- son. When he’s coming up against a due date, however, provises. And, if there’s a piano nearby, he will sit and all bets are off . On the aforementioned Spanish road play—frequently through his own catalogue (which he trip, there were several days where he was in a rented has, conveniently, memorized). He defi nitely listens to apartment until dinner because he just had to get notes choral and classical Music, but he is also an avid fan of on the page. He was equipped with a pint-sized electric pop Music, classic rock ‘n’ roll, folk, Musical theater, and keyboard, a large pad of staff paper, and a laptop. jazz. He’s a devotee—like so many pianists—of Elton Runestad grew up in what would appear to be your John, Billy Joel and Ben Folds, but he also loves Dave average, middle-class, Midwestern home. He went to Matthews, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell. He is most a Lutheran Church and was extremely active in youth passionate about Music with a great melody. That be- group. His parents, recently retired, are still together. ing said, if he’s listening to pop Music, he almost never He’s close to them and to his sister and brother-in-law. sings the melody; I’ve heard some of the most creative His circle of close friends would attest that he’s an ex- harmonies of My life traveling and spending time with traordinarily thoughtful, kind, and gentle human being. Jake Runestad. He has a wicked sense of humor. He’s also the kind of Jake is as vibrant and emotionally honest as his Music guy who drops you a text on concert day to wish you would indicate. He’s well read and thoughtful. Though well. He helps his friends move, puts together IKEA fur- I teach choral repertoire and constantly seek out new niture, and paints. He mixes a great cocktail, and he’s composers, he has introduced me to more contemporary an excellent cook. He relieves stress by hiking, kayak- Music than I have to him. He stays abreast of develop- ing, cross-country skiing, and generally getting outdoors. ments in our fi eld, and his knowledge—especially of liv- He’s an introvert with a serious extraverted streak, and ing composers—is deep. after a long day of writing, he wants to be with friends or As would be expected, he has a voracious appetite for family, talking, cooking, or going out. poetry and literature, and he’s constantly on the hunt I believe that his deep humanity is apparent in his Mu- for suitable material to set to Music. His net is cast wide: sic. There are Runestad choral pieces about love, war, poets include canonic fi gures like Rumi, Shakespeare, spiritual journeys, nature, and nonsense. He’s set tweets Helen Keller, and King David, and contemporary writ- about suicide and commissioned new poetry about the ers such as Todd Boss, Brian Turner, and Warda Mo- ocean. He and I have joked that to be a “Runestad ap- hammed—the Somali refugee who wrote the majority propriate” text, poetry Must have words like “light, love, of the text for Runestad’s We Can Mend the Sky. glorious, beauty, spirit and dream.” And, while that’s not He’s also one of the youngest successful full-time universally true, he’s clearly pulled in the direction of composers in the country, which means he takes his work hope as inspiration for his Music. I believe his general very seriously and is constantly writing. As long as I’ve artistic philosophy can be deduced from two of his titles: known him, there has been a ceaseless stream of com- Let My Love Be Heard and We Can Mend The Sky. There’s missions simmering on the front, rear, and side burners. no doubt that Runestad believes choral Music is a force He juggles the requirement to be present for premieres, for good in a broken world, and he has said so on many his love of—and excellence at—teaching, and his need, occasions. as a composer, for the solitude that allows for the cre- ation of new art. Jake is a Musical craftsman; he can write quickly when The Interview he needs to, but he prefers to take his time, to delve deep- ly into texts, to study the lives of the poets he sets, and Talberg: Tell me a little bit about where you were born, to consider the historical, philosophical, humanistic, and how you grew up, and your musical background. artistic impact of what it is he’s setting. He writes both on paper and on the computer, and—unless he’s ap- Runestad: I was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, proaching a deadline—he’s very Much a morning per- to musical parents, in a very musical family. 10 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 59 Number 7 Preview of the 2019 Raymond W. Brock Commission, A Silence Haunts Me Talberg: When you say they were Musical, what does her classroom every day; it was awesome. I took piano that mean? lessons from her for a year, but I hated taking lessons because I just wanted to do My own thing. She was good Runestad: Both of My parents have participated in with improvisation, but I hated practicing what I had to, Music making most of their lives. My mom did a lot of and I wanted to just create My own Music, so I quit (to Musical theater; she was Sandy in Grease and Dorothy in My mother’s dismay). But I still wanted to play piano, the Wizard of Oz at community theater, and she played and I have played piano ever since. violin in the orchestra at school. My dad sang in folk groups, played guitar—there was always Music around Talberg: In high school or middle school, did you play the house—and both of them have sung in choirs. in ensembles? Did you sing? Talberg: Tell me about your grandfather. You played Runestad: In middle school I played saxophone in the some of his music for me. band. Throughout high school, I played a lot of jazz as well. I was in the band and I was in a couple rock bands Runestad: Howie Lindstrom was a beautiful tenor— outside of school. I wrote a lot of pop songs; I did a “the Svenska Sinatra” people called him. He was a Shri- lot of Multi-track recording, which is how I learned to ner and performed in a big band called the “Shrinani- orchestrate. Senior year, I wrote a piece for the wind gans.” He was asked to be a regular on the Laurence ensemble—the fi rst time I wrote something that other Welk show, but his MoM didn’t want hiM to leave hoMe. people performed—and I was hooked. He was a very creative, clever guy with a beautiful voice. He couldn’t read Music very well—he was untrained— Talberg: How big was the ensemble? but he had natural talent. Runestad: A big group! 60-70 people.